Patches, patches, patches!

I'm bombing my blog today.  First up are all the patches I made for swaps lately.

First swap was for a pair of patches.  Then I did a RAK patch for the same person, so the total was up to 3.

There was no theme for the pair but the extra did have a theme.

Full set.

Now the weirdest of the group.

The teeth are totally reflecting off the fabric.  The face fabric is some funky vinyl my sister gave me after she made a domo costume (a few years ago).  I just wanted to use some different fabrics and try to make something "creepy".

I'm not sure how successful it is, but I do think it's kind of creepy.  The teeth are definitely kind of icky.  I bought those beads because they looked like pulled teeth.

Next in the set is far less icky.

I made it in the more classic Teesha Moore style (referred to as either "puffy" or "messy" or "rolled edge").

I got to double dip with this patch and do some free motion quilting practice with this one.  Playing with free motion is one of my 2015 goals so that was super sweet.  I've also been dieing to use one of the cool gnome buttons I have.

The back is definitely messy!

Last was the RAK/wish patch.  The recipient gave a list of patch themes they were looking for and mermaids was on the list.

 I love when mermaids are pictured riding sea horses.  Sea horses as beasts of burden makes me giddy. That would mean it's either one big ass sea horse or one teeny mermaid.  Either way, I like it.

I gave her super kissy lips with some embroidery floss.  MWAH!

The back (just because I feel obligated to show the backs).

Next up was a set of three patches for another swap.  There was no theme for these so I had to figure out what to do on my own.  I did consult my partner's profile to see what they HATED so I could avoid that as much as possible.

Did this one in the puffy/rolled style.  I really like how it turned out.

I machine stitched around a few of the keyholes and then added a key on a beaded string.  Put a few more bits of embroidery (hand) on it too, just to make it more puffy/lumpy.

The back (of course!).

Since my partner was very exact about things they didn't like, quite a few of which are things I adore (neon colors, glitter, hippy stuff, goofy/kiddy stuff) I went out of my way to try and find more refined themes.  No swag moose for this group (or kawaii poo!)

How's that for classy, huh?

That's from the Matisse inspired fabric I got in one of my last scrap pack purchases.  Just embellished it here and there and then made sure to use a brown backing fabric to get a real frame feel.  (this one is a flat/neat style)

See, brown back.

Last but not least for this group:

I was dieing to do some beading so I did.  There's just something about beading that's kind of relaxing.  But I need to read up on it a bit more to see the best method for beading a long line of beads.  I'm thinking (as I did with this patch) that you really shouldn't go longer than about 10 beads before stopping and doing another little length of ten.  More than that and it gets kind of droopy.

I love the feel of a totally beaded piece like this.  It has a heft to it but is still bendable and just so THERE.  This isn't perfect beading by any stretch, but it looks pretty damn good.

And the back.

Last of the recent patches was for a Valentine's themed patch.

OH YEAH.  Now that's my bag.

Silly and bright and goofy.  LOVE IT.

I really had no idea what I was going to do except I wanted to make some half square triangles (another 2015 sewing goal) so I took all the 5 inch v-day themed charms I had and then made quarter triangles.  Is that the right term?  Whatever the term, I have four different fabrics each in a wee triangle.  The five inch charms yielded four four inch block/charms each with one of the fabrics on it.

So that's the background fabric which I added a little felted heart to the middle can't tell, really).  Then I was kind of stumped what else to add until I got pawing through my buttons and noticed just one of the sock monkeys had a heart on him.

Then a sock monkey being carried off by two glittery dog balloons happened and I'm thrilled it did.  I've been dieing to use some of those dog balloon stick ons.  I had to add a piece of clear thread around the middle of the pink one because she just wouldn't stay stuck down.  Filament for the win (though it's still a pain in the ass to work with).

And. . .the back!

So, that's all the patches I've made lately.  Now time to show off the other stuff.

(no joke, I was off work yesterday and I sewed like a fiend)

Swap stuff : Clay and patch

Just showing off some more swap stuff.

First, the patch

This was for the monthly patch swap in one of the groups I'm in.  You can make anything you want, so I just kind of pawed around in my stuff and this is what came about.

How effing cute is that cat button?

There's this one company (who's name I forget and I'm too lazy to look it up right now) that makes all kinds of super cute novelty buttons like these cats.  They're a little bit expensive (up to $3 per package, sometimes a package only has 6 buttons) but they're perfect for crafty projects like patches.  Except when a pack has the flat backs which are horrible and useless (unless you can jab a hole in them).

The back of the patch.  I was too lazy to iron the fabric.  Shame on me, shame.

Next up is my foray into polymer clay.  I've always been interested in it but never played with it.  So for chrsitmas I got a big pack of multi colors so I could give it a go.  (and there was another Play with Clay swap--I used air drying paper clay for the first one).

Cute little hedgie!

I found a tutorial for this on youtube and I was very pleased at how easy it was to make and how it really did turn out quite well.

The two big flaws?  The mouth is crooked and it should be purple.  I made it with two shades of purple but after baking it was more like two shades of brown.  Apparently polymer clay does that if you use too high a heat.  So I'll have to play around and drop the temp and up the bake time to see if I can get the clay to retain its original color a bit better.  (I had the color issue with almost all of the items I made in my toaster/convection oven--I don't have a regular oven because it died).

I made the hedgie after I'd practiced with some other items and I did put a foil dome over it so there weren't any dark/singed areas.

Roll on over there and let me rub your belly!

See, the mouth is not centered very well.  Not the biggest deal but annoying to me.

I used oil paint pens for the details and I'm not totally in love with oil paint pens.

I didn't seal any of my items because I didn't have the correct sealant (I only have modge podge and I don't think it's the best thing for polymer clay).  If I end up making more things I might get some sealant but it wasn't necessary for this swap since it's a beginner clay swap.

I also made some fortune cookies.  I made them before the hedgie.  The shape came out great but they did get a tiny bit dark.  It looks ok on them since they are cookies but the darker shade looks more chocolate.

I used superglue to add the little felt tags.

The first thing I made (over christmas when I was at my parents' house) was:

I just had to add the faces and stems before I sent them.

When I made them I wasn't thinking apple and cherries.  Just an apple and smaller apples.  They really were just test items.  The color stayed nice on them and no dark areas.  But my mother's oven is good with the temp and all that, so that's probably why they turned out so well.  I just need to learn the ins and outs of my toaster oven dealie.

The cherries are sweet and sour, one with a smile and one with a kind of "meh" face.  The stems are braided craft string (thing embroidery floss but you can't separate the strands).  The apple's stem is ribbon.  I was going to add a wooden stem (using a toothpick) but it didn't work out.  So I scrapped it.

I used superglue for all the stems, which may or may not be the best thing to use on polymer clay.

Shiny happy apple looking cute!

(sing with me, to the tune of Shiny Happy People)

Shiny happy apple looking cu-uuu-ute.  Ap-le, happy apple!

"sour" cherry is not amused.  (or in very good focus--I suck at photography which is another thing that makes sour cherry annoyed)

Sweet cherry is amused by it all.

And last but not least, I made something I did not send in my swap.  I wasn't sure my swap partner would be as amused by it as I am (though I think she might, she's not uptight).

POOPS!

Poo fingers!

Tiny little poops with eyes are so effing cute I could. ..well. . .poop!

You know I want to make a toilet and toilet paper now, too.  I'm so juvenile.

2015 Fluff Project: January items

Look at me!

I have two Fluff project items done already.

Ok, ok, so I've had these partially finished (meaning stitched up but not stuffed/closed) for quite a while but sewing items shut is one of my least favorite steps so I tend to abandon projects when they get to that one last step.  So dumb, I know.

Anyway, I have two Fluff items done and that's what really counts.

Super freaking CUTE!

I bought them from Spoonflower when they were having BOGO fat quarters (or were they buy one get one half priced?  I think it was BOGO).

Each set was one fat quarter which is cool.

Wrinkly mama with her babies.

I should have pressed this set before I stuffed but I thought the wrinkles might just smooth out on their own.  Wrong.  I think I still might hit mama kitty with a blast of steam from the iron to see if I can't smooth her out a tiny bit.  Those wrinkles are mocking me.  The kittens don't show their wrinkles quite as much.

I love preprinted fabrics.  They make it so easy to whip up stuff.

I had originally planned to keep one set for myself but now that they're done I'd rather give the away.  I got a few stuffed toys for christmas (including a RECTUM!) so I don't need to keep these.  Some kid will definitely like them (hell, I like them and I'm an old fart!).

I just need to get three more items done for Fluff this month to meet my minimum goal.  I already have a pattern picked out (it's an easy one) and piece of fabric.  That one fat quarter won't make all three items but I want to see if I can get two from it to try and use it all up.

Next up after that?

Some flimsy making.

For Swaps: Dotee dolls!

Showing off some dotees I finished over the weekend.

First up. . .hmm, who should be first. . .

Valentine dotee

It's a love bug!

How freaking cute is that, huh?

I'm super happy with how it turned out.

The only rule for the swap was it had to be valentines themed (so reds and pinks) and have one heart on it somewhere.  Done and done.

This is probably the smallest dotee I've ever made and it was really pretty damn easy.

The body is three pre-made felt balls strung together.  The antennae are the ends of the floss I used to string it (glued to make them stiff).  Legs are bakers twine tied between the segments (for the top and middle) and then threaded through and knotted off for the bottom legs.

The wings were made by tracing the shape of hearts put together (I have these stick on foam hearts and I arranged them to make the shape) onto fabric with batting in the center.  I sewed all the way around it then cut a slit in the center of the fabric to turn it through.  That slit was hidden when I put the wings on (stitched to the body).

The hanger is stitched to the wings (so the stitches are hidden behind the bugs head) and the tail is strung through the bottom segment.  The eyes are sequins with beads and the mouth is just one little stitch.

Then I just smudged a bit of glue on the ends of each leg to keep them from fraying.

SIMPLE and so damn cute I could spit.  PATOOIE.

Next up is an oddball dotee.

PINK DOTEE:

You looking at me!?

He has a bit of an attitude.

You would to if you were a pink BOY dotee living in a society where pink was a "girl" color.

The only rule for the swap was the dotee had to be pink.

This dotee is indeed pink.

I took two 5 inch fabric charms and cut them in half and sewed them back together to make the patchwork.  Then I just made an egg like shape.  Super simple.

I really like the face.  Pulling the eyes close together to make a bit of a nose was a fun little accident (not really a total accident but more like a discovery).

And the back, just to show off the patchwork and that the belt goes all the way around (and was stitched into the seam to keep it nice and neat.

Last but not least:

PIRATE DOTEE

This is for a monthly theme dotee and January was pirates.

Arr!

Three fabrics in a patchwork (it doesn't perfectly line up all the way around, though--oops!)  Purple corduroy for the pants, cool skeleton fabric for the shirt, and tea dyed fabric for the face (to give a slightly tan look)

I think I lied.  I think there was an eyepatch requirement (or I just thought there was).  So he keeps with the purple theme and has a fancy purple button and ribbon eyepatch which matches his parakeet (I have to get more of those buttons, they are fabulous).

Little golden yellow button for a belt buckle.

That's a very blurry pic of the super blinged out skull on his tail.  Fanc-a!

I'm waiting to mail them off until I get one last swap done, then I'll be all up to date (and mailed).  I'm making good progress on that last swap so I'm hoping to have all the latest stuff I've made out by Friday.

For Swaps: Ninni and a Dotee

Time to show off two swap items I finished over my holiday break.

First up, another Ninni.

I loved working with this pattern before (the Day of the Dead dotee, remember?) and was thrilled when one of my swapping friends set up another swap using it.

This time I got a different partner which was fun so this happened.

Go ahead, little Ninni.  Try it on.

No, it's not a wig.  Try again.

Nope, not horns, either.

There you go!

It's a skirt.  A tentacle skirt so you can dress up like a squid.

I have to admit, I'm all proud that I used bias tape to make a tentacle skirt for a stuffed monster doll.  the skirt tentacles (shorter ones) are just the ninni leg pattern.  The skirt "arms" (long tentacles) are just free drawn.  I have a lot of squid sewing experiences so they were a snap.

Speaking of snaps, I even went that little bit extra and put a wee little snap on the skirt because I'm awesome like that.  OH, and the snap was sewn through only one layer of the bias tape, so you don't see any ugly attaching stitches.  THEN, I hand stitched the end of the bias tape inside itself so the end is all need and not fraying and ragged.  I will admit, the hand stitching is not as neat and pretty as the machine stitching but it's not heinous, either.  Attention to details (aka anal retentiveness) I have it.

(the eyes are vintage fabric shank buttons, too.  They worked PERFECT)

Next up?  Dotee Doll Whimsy Jar.

The swap was for a jar filled with dotee making stuffs (and a dotee). The jar lid had to be decorated, too.

So I made a pin cushion on the top of my fancy blue Ball jar.

I bought a nice new jar because I just didn't have any I could recycle (and I was worried even if I did wash out a nice jar it would somehow still be stinky and make everything gross).

Goodies inside.  Ribbon and trims and beads and bobbles.  Lots of fun stuff.  Then I wrapped the jar in two different fabrics and then bubble wrap (before boxing it up).

But not before I put the super crazy dotee inside (per instructions).

She kind of looks a hot mess but she's really super 80s retro.  She has wild yarn hair on only one side of her head (a la Cyndi Lauper) and a veil on the other side (a la early Madonna).

Crazy eyelash yarn used as. . .wait for it. . eyelashes (a la Janice from the Muppets or Chicky Baby from the Puppet Band in Pee Wee's Playhouse).  Kissy lips made from a little heart button (no, I will never think of those heart buttons and not laugh since I used them to make cat bungholes).

Then she has a vintage lace belt all slouched on her hip with charm accents (a cuff and a dragon fly--it's a the tied side).  The lace hangs way down to give a hint of Stevie Nicks in there, too.  Rock on, gold dust woman!  The tail is some beads (in a muted tone) and the last of my star charms.

Her body is made from batik scraps (light on the front, dark on the back).

She's wild and crazy and a bit odd but I really like her.  She was fun to make and is definitely one of a kind.

I won't mail these out for a bit.  I want to get two other swaps done to take along with them.  But one is a clay swap so I need to fart around with polymer clay.  I can't quite decide what I want to make and I'm sure I'll burn at least one thing so I need to get started on that so I have time to cock it up a few times before something turns out.

(oh and I totally want to make clay poo--that's going to be one of my test projects).

Let's Book It 2015 (and other creative goals)

I've set a bunch of creative goals for the new year.

To start, I'm joining Vrooman's Quilts Let's Book It 2015.

It's super simple.  Once a month you make something from a pattern/book you already have.  I already have my January project picked out.  I've decided to reveal the book (or pattern) I chose for the month when I reveal the finished project.

The project doesn't have to be from an actual book, either.  It can be a pattern you bought (not in a book) or a free pattern/tutorial you saved "for later".  Guess what?  Later is NOW.

In fact, I have projects already lined up for the next few months.  I figured I should plan ahead so I could make sure I have all the supplies before the time to make the project actually arrives.  That said, I'm doing my best to use stash items.  But some projects might need a notion I don't have (or have enough of) so I'm allowing for purchases for Book It projects.

That leads to one of my other 2015 creative goals:

STASH BUSTING

I'm not going on an official fabric fast just yet but I'm also not going to be doing any random purchasing, either.  But I want to use my stash as much as possible but I'm leaving the door open to do a tiny bit of buying if I find crazy good deals on things I already have on my wish list.  But it has to be a crazy good deal.  CRAZY.

OK, let's make this a proper list:

2015 Creative Goals:

1.  Let's Book It 2015.  One project (minimum) per month.  I added the minimum because some of my books have projects that are really fast and easy (like done in a few hours) so I want to make multiple projects in those cases.

2.  UFO completion.  I want to try and double dip with the Book It challenge to finish a few items that I started.  I have a quilt top that fits into that category (I'd finish it and do another easy pattern like it for it to count as my Book It).  I also have a stuffed toy project that I pulled the fabric for (and prepped the pattern by assembling it) but haven't actually done any stitching.

3.  Stash Busting.  I want to use from my stash as much as possible for all Book It projects.  But I will buy things if I do need them for a specific project.  (note:  I need to buy some felt in a few colors I'm out of, so I plan to do a felt project so I can make one big felt purchase--that's the kind of buying I'm talking about, not buying just to hoard).

4.  Fluff Project.  I want to make (minimum) 60 stuffed toys this year.  That's 5/month.  I really want to do way more than that (and hopefully will) but I'm officially signing up for 60 for the year.  The Book It challenge will help with that, too.  I have a lot of patterns I've been meaning to try out and now I will (and maybe work them into my Fluff sewing).

5.  Reading.  I'm adding this here just because I can.  I want to read 12 books this year.  I know that's not very lofty, but I'm setting the bare minimum very low to make it highly achievable.  That's one book a month.  TOTALLY doable.  As I finish a book, I'll note it here.

6.  New Skills.  I want to work with half square triangles and free motion quilting this year.  I'm sure I'll find a few patterns that I can do for Book It that will have me trying out the two new things I'm most keen on trying.

7.  New craft and techniques.  I want to work with polymer clay a bit more (got some for christmas) and experiment with fabric paints and pens.

I think that's about it for now.  I do have a specific list of projects I want to work on/finish but I'll address them here as I complete them.

Let's get creative!